A. The network installed in Western Nevada College is used to transmit digital, telephonic (VOIP), and video data to and through all campus locations.

Section 2: Types of Networks

A. Production Network

1. This network is used to connect devices used by staff, faculty and students, i.e., workstations, file servers, printers and support devices together, for use on a common college network.

B. Facilities Network

1. It is designed to connect HVAC, security, and video devices onto a private network. This network is not designed to share data with the production network.

C. Public Network

1. This network is used to connect specific workstations and wireless access points together for public Internet access only.

D. Telephone/Interactive Video Network

1. This network shares connection with the interactive video connections in the following locations. The network does not interface with any other network. The locations are:

a. Carson

b. Douglas

c. Fallon

Section 3: LAN (Local Area Network)

A. DefinedReference: Wikipedia

1. A local area network (LAN) is a computer network covering a local area, like a home, office, or group of buildings. Current LANs are most likely to be based on switched IEEE 802.3 Ethernet running at 10, 100 or 1,000 Mbit/s or on Wi-Fi technology.

2. The defining characteristics of LANs in contrast to WANs (wide area networks) are: their much higher data rates; smaller geographic range; and that they do not require leased telecommunication lines.

B. WNC Implementation

1. Each location participating in the LAN structure in WNC uses the network to connect together workstation, printers and peripherals used by Computer Labs, staff and faculty. Each location is configured as a private network residing behind a hardware firewall. The LAN networks communicate with one another via the WAN (Wide Area Network). The locations participating in this LAN infrastructure are:

a. Carson

b. Hightech Center (Carson)

c. Douglas

d. Fallon

e. Fernley

f. Hawthorne

g. Lovelock

h. Yerington

2. Note: Although Smith Valley has a WNC presence, the LAN network is controlled by another agency.

Section 4: WAN (Wide Area Network)

A. DefinedReference: Wikipedia

1. A wide area network or WAN is a computer network covering a broad geographical area. Contrast with personal area networks (PANs), local area networks (LANs) or metropolitan area networks (MANs) that are usually limited to a room, building or campus respectively. The largest and most well-known example of a WAN is the Internet.

2. WANs are used to connect local area networks (LANs) together, so that users and computers in one location can communicate with users and computers in other locations. Many WANs are built for one particular organization and are private. Others, built by Internet service providers, provide connections from an organization's LAN to the Internet. WANs are most often built using leased lines. At each end of the leased line, a router connects to the LAN on one side and a hub within the WAN on the other.

B. WNC implementation

1. All locations that participate in the WNC data network are connected through a Wide Area Network called the "NevadaNet". Access to the NevadaNet is accomplished using routing devices that are owned by WNC but configured and controlled by NSHE, (Reno). The NevadaNet, is supported and controlled by NSHE, (Reno) Telecom Services. The information on the operation and control of the NevadaNet is contained in the following policies :

a. NevadaNet Appropriate Use Policy

b. NevadaNet Connection Policy

c. NevadaNet Interactive Video Scheduling and Usage Policy

2. The initial point of contact for problems related to the NevadaNet is WNC Computing Services. This may be accomplished by using the online work request system or via telephone if the problem meets the Break/Fix criteria.

3. Locations within the college that use the NevadaNet are:

a. Carson

b. Hightech Center (Carson)

c. Douglas

d. Fallon

e. Fernley

f. Hawthorne

g. Lovelock

h. Yerington

4. Note: Although Smith Valley has a WNC presence, the wired network is controlled by another agency.

Section 5: Wireless and Broadband

A. WiFi DefinedReference: Wikipedia

1. Wi-Fi (also WiFi, wifi, etc.) is a brand originally licensed by the Wi-Fi Alliance to describe the underlying technology of wireless local area networks (WLAN) based on the IEEE 802.11 specifications. It was developed to be used for mobile computing devices, such as laptops, in LANs, but is now increasingly used for more services, including Internet and VoIP phone access, gaming, and basic connectivity of consumer electronics such as televisions and DVD players, or digital cameras. More standards are in development that will allow Wi-Fi to be used by cars in highways in support of an Intelligent Transportation System to increase safety, gather statistics, and enable mobile commerce (see IEEE 802.11p).

2. A person with a Wi-Fi enabled device such as a computer, cell phone or PDA can connect to the Internet when in proximity of an access point. The region covered by one or several access points is called a hotspot. Hotspots can range from a single room to many square miles of overlapping hotspots. Wi-Fi can also be used to create a mesh network. Both architectures are used in community networks, municipal wireless networks like Wireless Philadelphia, and metro-scale networks like M-Taipei.

3. Wi-Fi also allows connectivity in peer-to-peer mode, which enables devices to connect directly with each other. This connectivity mode is useful in consumer electronics and gaming applications.

B. Broadband definedReference: Wikipedia

1. Broadband Internet access, often shortened to "broadband Internet" or just "broadband", is a high data-transmission rate internet connection. DSL and cable modem, both popular consumer broadband technologies, are typically capable of transmitting faster than dial up modem (56 kilobits per second). The real maximum speed of a dial-up modem is only about 48 Kilobits/second.

2. It should be noted that "broadband" is technically a misnomer. Broadband and baseband are two different ways of sending multiple transmissions on a wire. With baseband you send a single signal over the wire, and each transmission gets a turn to go: that is, you send part of transmission A, then B, then C, then start over at A. Baseband can use either a digital or an analog line. Broadband is always analog; with broadband you can send multiple transmissions at once by sending different transmissions on different frequencies.

3. DSL, cable, and other high-speed Internet services are digital, not analog, and are therefore not broadband, by definition. Rather, marketing for high-speed Internet providers hijacked the term because it sounded impressive.

C. WNC implementation

1. Neither WiFi or Broadband technologies are intended to be a direct replacement for the wired infrastructure used at WNC. WiFi is installed for use by students, guests and faculty in public areas throughout the college. There is the possibility that WiFi coverage will exceed the boundaries of the public area and may provide network access to wireless devices in some adjacent areas, i.e., lab or administrative offices. WiFi provides access to the Internet only and will not provide a direct access to the services contained on other college networks.

1. Each campus location within WNC has an established wired infrastructure that connects workstations, printers, file servers and support hardware. All locations route each wired data drop (wall connection) through a switched network. The locations that participate in the WNC wired network are:

a. Carson

b. Hightech Center (Carson)

c. Douglas

d. Fallon

e. Fernley

f. Hawthorne

g. Lovelock

h. Yerington

2. Note: Although Smith Valley has a WNC presence, the wired network is controlled by another agency.

Section 7: Physical Connections to the WNC Network

A. Wired Network

1. Authorized Connection

a. Any college owned device that has been tested, configured and authorized for use by WNC Computing Services may be connected to the Production, Facility, Public and Telephone networks.

b. Guests/students of the college may connect to the wired network using connection points configured for public use.

2. Unauthorized Connection

a. Devices that have not been authorized for use in accordance with the "Authorized Connection" criteria stated above are not permitted on the Production, Facilities, Public and Telephone networks.

3. New or Location Change of Connections

a. New or a change of an existing connection on the wired infrastructure will be coordinated through Computing Services. This will accomplished using the online work request system hosted by WNC Computing Services or in the case of a computer lab, through the Lab Configuration Request system.

B. Wireless Network

1. Authorized Connection

a. Any college owned wireless access point device that has been tested, configured and authorized for use by WNC Computing Services may be connected to the Production, Facility, Public and Telephone networks.

b. Guests/students of the college may connect to the wireless network using access points configured for public use.

c. Note: For a definition of what an access point is and its use, see "WiFi Defined" contained in this policy on page 3.

2. Unauthorized Connection

a. Devices that have not been authorized for use in accordance with the "Authorized Connection" criteria stated above are not permitted on any WNC network.

3. New or Location Change of Connections

a. New or a change of an existing connection on the wireless infrastructure will be coordinated through Computing Services. This will accomplished using the online work request system hosted by WNC Computing Services or in the case of a computer lab through the Lab Configuration Requests system.

Section 8: Security of the WNC Network

A. Physical

1. All network devices, wiring joined together in a wiring closet and support hardware must be protected from public access by a physical barrier. A locked door, fencing or locked cabinet will serve as an acceptable physical barrier.

B. Authentication

1. Access to all devices on the network require authentication, i.e., name and password. The exceptions to this are printers and peripheral devices that contain no data, i.e., door control card access readers. The form of authentication used is controlled by the service area supporting the device.

C. Access control

1. Access to the LAN infrastructure is controlled by a hardware firewall device that prevents the public network (aka: the Internet) from having direct access to the internal private networks (LANs). Control of the physical access to the network and associated nodes/devices located in a physical room or cabinet is the responsibility if WNC Computing Services, Facilities and Media Services. No person or agency will be granted access without the express permission of one of the departments that has control of the device/hardware.

2. Devices/hardware controlled by Computing Services:

a. File Servers

b. Switches

c. Routers

d. Power Conditioning Devices

e. Tape Changers

f. Wireless Access Points

g. Workstations

h. Patch Panels

i. Ethernet wiring

j. Firewalls

k. Media Converters

l. Ethernet cabling

m. Fiber links

n. Data Conduits

o. Power Conditioning Units (UPSs)

p. KVM Switches

3. Devices/hardware controlled by Facilities:

a. HVAC (heating and air) panels

b. Security panels (building)

c. Telephone systems

4. Devices/hardware controlled by Media Services:

a. Video surveillance

b. Interactive Video

c. Macintosh hardware, software and peripherals

5. For support assistance on all of the devices listed above:

a. Computing Services may be contacted via the online work request system.

b. Facilities and Media Services may be contacted using the existing methods described in their respective published support policies and procedures.

c. Macintosh hardware, software and peripherals support is required using the online work request system sponsored by Computing Services.